Amazon on Thursday, 8th October 2026 launched three Alexa-branded Android tablets priced from $229.99 to $549.99, and said it no longer makes new units of its budget Fire tablet line.
What Happened?
- Amazon’s new lineup covers the Alexa Tablet 8, Alexa Tablet 11 and Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, and orders are open now.
- The Nanomatte version of the 12 Pro costs $549.99, more than double the $155 Fire HD 10 base model.
- All three tablets run Android with the full Google Play Store, replacing Amazon’s custom Fire OS and its own app store.
- Buyers in the US, Canada and Mexico get shipments on 14th October with five European markets following on 19th October.
- Fire tablet owners keep support for four years after the final unit ships, and their devices keep working as they do today.
Amazon swaps Fire OS for Google Play
The switch ends Amazon’s long reliance on Fire OS, a custom Android build tied to the Amazon Appstore and its thinner app catalog. Every new model now ships with Google Play, so YouTube, Netflix, Gmail and Google Docs install like they would on any Android tablet. Prime Video, Kindle, Audible and Amazon Music come preloaded alongside them, according to the company’s launch announcement.
https://t.co/KVd5XRThgA
— Amazon News (@amazonnews) October 8, 2026
Amazon’s pricing sheet breaks the lineup down this way:
- Alexa Tablet 8: $229.99 with 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and an 8.7-inch screen in a 329g aluminum body.
- Alexa Tablet 11: $329.99 with 8GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 2.5K, 90Hz display.
- Alexa Tablet 12 Pro: $499.99 with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage and a 120Hz, 3:2 panel.
- Alexa Tablet 12 Pro Nanomatte: $549.99 with anti-glare glass developed with Corning.
The Pro Keyboard adds $149.99 and the Pro Pen another $89.99. Both attach only to the 12 Pro.
Amazon calls the 12 Pro the most advanced tablet it has built. Its 4nm eight-core chip delivers nearly three times faster processing than any earlier Amazon tablet, the company said. Graphics run nine times faster. Video playback reaches 16 hours, the longest Amazon has put on a tablet.
Alexa+ is wired into the home screen through a Dynamic Tab and an “Ask Alexa” button. A new On-Screen Intelligence feature lets the assistant read what’s on the display and act on it. In a demo, devices chief Panos Panay had Alexa shop for a burger press he’d spotted in a TikTok grilling clip. Amazon says the feature is off by default, requires an opt-in, and shows an indicator whenever Alexa can see the screen.
The price jump lands in a memory crunch
Amazon has long sold devices near cost, betting buyers would spend more on Prime Video, audiobooks and retail orders. That model has been bending under CEO Andy Jassy, who rolled out pricier Echo speakers last year and started charging non-Prime members for Alexa+. The new tablets go further, and the $499.99 base 12 Pro now sits just above the iPad’s $449 entry price.
Amazon raised prices on Echos, Kindles and Fire TVs in August, blaming a memory shortage. Apple raised MacBook and iPad prices earlier this year, and Nintendo lifted the Switch 2’s price.
The bet is that Alexa+ and a full app catalog can justify iPad-level pricing on hardware that used to win on cost. Families and budget shoppers lose their cheapest option, though Amazon Kids Tablet bundles in 8.7-inch and 11-inch sizes stay in the range.
What’s Next?
The announcement leaves two questions open. When does the last Fire unit ship and start the four-year support clock? And will non-Prime tablet owners pay for Alexa+?
Fire owners don’t need to do anything today, since their tablets keep running as before. Shoppers can order now from Amazon.com, Best Buy or Target, and the first North American deliveries land next Wednesday.
